Pneumatic tube terminal



19336 c. s. JENNINGS 1,921,391

PNEUMAT I C TUBE TERMINAL Filed Feb. 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l lwakr L5. Jrzaa'ays g- 8, 1933- c 5. JENNINGS 1,921,391

PNEUMATIC TUBE TERMINAL 17203 23202" filwslei' J1 fiiulz iyj Patented Aug. 8, 1933 v UNiTfEoIsTA -rEs lfNEUMATIG T UBE TERMINAL Chester S. Jennings, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to I The Lamson Company, Syracuse, N. Y., a, Cor: poration of Massachusetts Application February 15, 1930. Serial No. 428,700

- 6 Claims. (01. 243-23) This invention relates to pneumatic despatch systemsand more particularly to an improved delivery terminal having-novel air-by-pass means adapted to permit adjustment of the carrier cushioning effect to meet the requirements of any given conditions.

In the construction of delivery terminals it is customary to by-pass the air around the delivery end of the tube, and to connect the'by pass at such a distance from the tube end as to form an air pocket of sufiicient length to provide a cushioning effect for the arriving carrier. As the cushioning eifect due to a given length of air I pocket varies in accordance with several factors, for example the length of the. line, and as itis very desirable to bring about a positive discharge and at the same time one which is not too violent or noisy, .it has heretoforebeen necessary to design the by-pass with reference to the lay-out of each individual line. This consumes time and labor, both in determining the precise point. at which the by-pass tube is to be connected and in the actual work of constructing and installing the parts to meet these requirements.

The present invention avoids the difliculty jus noted since it provides means for adjusting the,

cushioning eifect without requiring change in the actual length of the air pocket, so that a stand-.

ard combination may be used in all ordinary constructions. The'invention is here shown as embodied in apparatus which is simple and ci ilcient; and yet rugged and compact, and which at the same time is readily capable of embodi ment in existing systems.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a pneumatic tube system comprising two stations con-; nected by transmission tubes provided with 1 appropriate terminals;

prised in the system illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevationof the delivery termi nalshown in Fig. 2 g a V Fig. 4 is asection to much larger scale, taken substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a section, .to largerscale, taken sub- 1 .transmission tubes 10 and 11 having despatch' terminals 12 and 13 and delivery terminals 14 Fig. 2 is a side elevation, to larger scale,of a, delivery terminal anda by-pass connection comand 16, respectively. As herein illustrated, the improved by-pass means is shown as applied .to the terminal 14 only, but it is to be understood that an equivalent arrangement may be used at the terminal 16 or at. any terminal of generally similartype. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the tube,

11 communicates with the pump 18 (or other' evacuating agency) by means of a by-pass pipe 17 connectedtoa hollow casting 21 which fits about'the tube 11 at a point'substantially removed from the extreme end of the tube. With in the casting the wall of'the tube is provided with ports 22 through which air flows into the .bypass tube 17. The point of connection of the tube 17 and the location of the ports 22in the transmission tube 11 is selected to provide'the' maximum requisite cushioning effect for 'anyinstallation, but in accordance with the present invention, means are provided for varying the cushioning effect in accordance with'factors determined by each individual installation. .To this end, in accordance with the present. invention, a valve housing H is arranged'at a point adjacent to the extreme end E or the delivery terminal, such housing preferably comprising a sleeve-like casting 23 (Figs. 4 and 5) having op-. positely directed sockets 24 and 26 respectively which receive the adjacent ends of tube sections constitutingthe by-pass tube 17. This casting also has a lateral boss 27 providinga socket V which receives a short tube 28 whose other, end is receivedin a socket in a boss27 projecting y from a sleeve comprising parts 31 and 32 which are clamped around the tube 11. For clamping theseiparts together they may conveniently be. provided with projecting lugs 33 and 34 adapt ed to receive connecting bolts 36. Ports 29 in the side wall .of tube 11 provide communication with the tube 28. The sleeve member 31preferably has a channel for the reception of a gasket 37, engaging the outer wall of the transmission tube to assure a fluid-tight connection aroundthe' ports 29. r

'Awind-gate 38 is affixed, by means of screws,

39, to a shaft4l turning in journals in, exterior F bosses 42 on the body of the casting 23. One end of this shaft is threaded to receive a'nuti43 which I holds a spring washer 44 against the adjacent" boss 42. The other end of the shaft 41 extends outwardly beyond the other boss 42 and is con- 9 nected to an adjusting quadrant 46 by means of a pin 47. As will be apparent from Figs. 6 and 7, the quadrant 46has a boss 48 having a bore which receives the end of the shaft 41. The quadrant also has an arcuate slot 49 receiving the shank threaded to receive a nut 59 which holds a spring washer- 61 against the adjacent boss 58. The other end of the shaft is received in and pinned to the boss 48 of a quadrant 46* by a pin 47%.

This quadrant 46 which includes a handle 53*" may be identical with the quadrant 46 which cooperates with the wind-gate 38, and is held in ad: justed position by adjustment of a set screw 51 operating in a slot 49 (Fig. 4) in the quadrant.

Thewind-gate 38 is arranged to control the flow through the connection casing 24 and thus through the by-pass tube 17, while the wind-gate 54 is arranged to control the flow through the .lateral' tube 28. Preferably these wind-gates of the respective gates 38 and 54.

and the quadrants cooperating therewith are so arranged that the gate 33 may move from a substantially vertical or fully open position, as shown in Fig. 4, to a diagonal or partially open position; while the wind-gate 54 may move from a substantially vertical or closed position to a diagonal or partially open position.

In the operation of a system equipped with this improved valve mechanism, the gates 38 and 54 may both be left in a substantially vertical position, as shown in Fig. 4, to ascertain the behavior of the system; and if it is found that the proper cushioning effect is not obtained, this condition may be remedied by adjusting the positions It will be seen that the gate 38 is adapted to restrict the flow through the by-pass tube and that this results in restricting the iiow through the ports 22, while the gate 54 is adapted either to cut oif entirely the flow through the lateral tube 28 and the ports 29 or to afford communication between the transmission tube andthe by-pass tube through these ports. By adjusting the position of either of the quadrants 46 or of both of these quadrants, the

desired cushioning effect may readily be obtained. 7

I claim:

1. In atransmission system, the combination of a transmission tube, a by-pass tube compris ing aligned tube sections, valve mechanism comprising a body member adapted to receive the adjacent ends of the by-pass sections, a lateral connection between the body member and the transmission tube, a valve disposed in the body member and operablefor cutting off the flow through the lateral connection, and means disposed in the body member for restricting the flow from the by-pass tube to the body member.

2. In a transmission system, the combination of a transmission tube,.a by-pass tube comprising a pair of tube sections, valve mechanism comprising a housing having means for receiving the juxtaposed ends of the by-pass sections, a lateral connection between the housing and. the transmission tube, a wind-gate pivotally mounted in the housing and disposed for controlling the flow through the lateral connection, another windgate pivotally mounted in the housing and disposed for controlling the flow through the bypass tube, and operating means for the windgates, the operating means being disposed on the exterior of the housing. Y

3. In a transmission system, the combination of a transmission tube, a by-pass tube comprising-a pair of tube sections,valve mechanism comprising a housing having means for receiving the juxtaposed ends of the by-pass sections, a lateral connection. between the housing and the transmissiontube, a wind-gate for controlling the flow through the lateral connection, and another wind-gate forcontrolling the flow through the by-pass tube, an operating shaft for each wind-gate, the housing having journal openings in which the operating shafts are mounted for rotary'movement, one end of each operating shaft extending through the housing, a quadrant affixed to said one end of each operating shaft, each quadrant having an operating slot, and a set screw disposed in each operating slot and afixed to the housing for holding the quadrant in adjusted position. a

4. A valve housing having approximately oppositely disposed connections adapted to receive the ends of tubes and a lateral connection disposed between the first-mentionedconnections, a windgate pivotally mounted in the housing for controlling the flow through one of the first-mentioned connections, means for limiting pivotal movement of thewind-gate from a fully open to a partially open position, and means for controlling theilow through the lateral connection.

5. A valve housing having approximately oppositely disposed connections adapted to receive the ends of tubes and a lateral connection disposed between the first-mentioned connections, a wind-gate pivotally mounted in the housing for controlling the flow through one of the firstmentioned connections, means for limiting pivotal movement of the wind-gate from a fully open to a partially open position, and means for controlling the flow through the lateral connec tion, another wind-gate pivotally mounted in the housing for controlling the flow through the lateral connection, and means for limiting pivotal movement of said other wind-gate from a substantially' closed position to a partially open position.

6. In a transmission system a carrier transmission tube having a single valve delivery terminal and through which carriers pass freekg a by-pass tube including a housing and a tube section leading from said housing and connected at the other end to said transmission tube, a duct leading from the transmission-tubeto the housing, means for setting up a flow of air from the transmission tube into the housing through the,

by-pass tubesection' and the duct, and valves in said housing for independently controlling the flow of air through the tube section and the duct.

CHESTER S. JENNINGS. 

